Sports

Boxing Fans Paid $410 Million to Watch This Epic Fight

Javier Simon

Published: August 19, 2024 12:15 pm

Boxing pay-per-views have generated tens of millions of dollars and gave center stage to legends like Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather. Not to mention carriers like HBO and Showtime.

But is PPV still relevant? Some believe it won’t survive its final bout with illegal streaming. But PPV got into the ring with the “black boxes” of the ‘90s, and it’s still here.

People still pay their hard earned money to watch boxing’s elite duke it out. But just how much?

Well, we went on a scouting mission to find the highest-grossing PPV boxing matches of all time. Don’t worry. Reading won’t cost you a penny.

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• PPV boxing matches have generated hundreds of millions of dollars
• These have featured some of the highest-paid boxers including Floyd Mayweather and Mike Tyson.
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Floyd Mayweather v Miguel Cotto

• 1,500,000 buys
• $94 million

Billed as the “Ring Kings,” Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Miguel Cotto went toe-to-toe in Las Vegas in May 2012. The blood-and-sweat soaked fight shocked many fans as the lesser known Cotto gave Mayweather a run for his money, even though “Money” Mayweather won.

But following the fight, Mayweahter said to Cotto, “You are a hell of a champion — the toughest guy I fought.”

Mike Tyson v Peter McNeeley

• 1,550,000 buys
• $96 million

After serving three years behind bars, “Iron” Mike Tyson returned to the ring to face Peter McNeeley in 1995. The actual fight lasted only 89 seconds – or about half as long as your average tik-tok video. But it was 89 seconds of pure mayhem.

Abd after falling to the mat twice, McNeeley’s manager Vinnie Vecchione rushed into the ring to prevent his client from taking any more punishment. Tyson was crowned victorious by disqualification.

Evander Holyfield v Mike Tyson 2

• 1,990,000 buys
• $100.2 million

The one with the ear.

One of the most infamous boxing bouts of the ‘90s or all-time was the WBA Heavyweight Championship match between Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield in the summer of ‘97.

By the end of the third round of this heated match, Tyson decided to bite off a piece of Holyfield’s ear and spit it onto the ring.

Needless to say, Tyson later lost by disqualification. He also lost his boxing license. It was later reinstated.

Tyson is set to face Jake Paul in November. This time it’s on Netflix.

Gervonta Davis v Ryan Garcia

• 1,205,000 buys
• $102.4 million

Gervonta Davis stepped into the ring with Ryan Garcia in April 2023 to a roaring crowd in Paradise, Nevada.

But after six fierce rounds, Davis knocked out Ryan Garcia in the seventh after delivering a devastating body shot to Garcia’s right abdomen. Davis won the fight, but in May 2024 said he’d be open for a rematch.

Lennox Lewis v Mike Tyson

• 1,950,000 buys
• $112 million

Iron Mike Tyson suffered a knockout loss in the eighth round of his match with Lennox Lewis in the summer of 2002. But the fighting started outside the ring. During a promotional event held in New York, the two boxers dove into a brawl that also pulled in their opposing entourages.

Floyd Mayweather v Oscar De La Hoya

• 2,480,000 buys
• $136 million

Two legends collided in Vegas in May 2007. The undefeated four-division champion Floyd Mayweather squared up with WBC super welterweight champion Osacar De La Hoya. In ticket sales, the bout generated over $19 million, crushing the previous record held by the “ear-ripping” fight between Tyson and Holyfield in ‘97. In the end, Mayweather emerged victorious.

Floyd Mayweather v Canelo Alvarez

• 2,200,000 buys
• $150 million

Floyd Mayweather and Canelo Alvarez went head-to-head in front of a sold out crowd at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas in September 2013. Mayweather won in a 12-round majority decision. Ross retired following the match.

Floyd Mayweather v Conor McGregor

Two juggernauts in boxing and MMA collided in what was billed as “The Biggest Fight in Combat Sports History.” Floyd Mayweather took on Conor McGregor in August 2017 at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada. Both gladiators gave it their all, but Mayweather ultimately defeated McGregor by technical knockout (TKO) in the 10th round.

Floyd Mayweather v Manny Pacquiao

• 4,600,000 buys
• $410 million

The most-watched boxing match of all time was Floyd Mayweather vs. Manny Pacquiao in 2015. It was billed as the “Fight of the Century,” but could have easily been promoted as the most expensive fight in history. The historic bout between Mayweather and Pacquiao drew in more than $400 million in pay-per-view sales.

And the anticipation was just as big with both warriors having spent years claiming to face each other in the ring.

But despite the monumental amount of hype and money that went into the fight, critics and fans consider it a major let down. Mayweather Jr. won by unanimous decision. Both were paid handsomely.

Why we covered this

PPV boxing matches draw massive crowds and even bigger sums of money. We were curious as to just how much some of the monumental and hotly anticipated fights in history have scored in terms of PPV sales. So we developed this guide to the highest-grossing PPV boxing matches of all time.